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USS SIMPSON (DD-221 / AG-97)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NUPX

CLASS - CLEMSON
Basic repeat Wickes Class, with 35% more fuel capacity to improve endurance problems,
designed radius was 4900 nautical miles, at 15 knots.
Displacement 1,215 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 1 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 26,000 SHP; Parsons Design Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 114
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Cramp, Philadelphia on October 9 1919.
Launched April 28 1920 and Commissioned November 3 1920.
Reclassified Auxiliary AG-97 May 25 1945.
Decommissioned March 29 1946.
Stricken June 19 1946.
Fate Sold November 21 1946 to Northern Metals, Philadelphia and broken up for scrap.

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Simpson 17kEdward Simpson was born in New York City on 3 March 1824. Appointed midshipman in the United States Navy in February 1840, he served afloat until late 1845, when he became a member of the first class of midshipmen to be trained at the new Naval Academy at Annapolis. After graduation on 9 July 1846, Simpson reported to Vixen and participated in numerous bombardments during the Mexican-American War. During the next 15 years, he served afloat in the Brazil and China squadrons and with the Coast Survey, and ashore in two tours at the Naval Academy: first as gunnery instructor, then in 1860 as head of the department of ordnance and gunnery. Finally, he became Commandant of Midshipmen in 1862. Simpson took command of the monitor, Passaic, in June 1863 and participated in bombardments at Charleston from July to November 1863. From July to December 1864, he commanded Isonomia in the East Gulf Squadron; and, then served from February to April 1865 as Fleet Captain of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and of the forces attacking Mobile. After the war, he alternated tours of command ashore and afloat with tours of ordnance duty, including a mission to Europe in 1870-72, and command of the torpedo station in 1873 and again in 1874-75. In 1883, he was appointed president of a board to select a site for a government gun factory and made another study trip to Europe. Promoted to Rear Admiral on 9 February 1884, he served as President of the Naval Advisory Board and President of the Board of Inspection and Survey until his retirement on 3 March 1886. Rear Admiral Simpson died in Washington, D.C., on 1 December 1888. Photo: United Sates Naval Academy collection.Bill Gonyo
Simpson 55kUSS Simpson (DD-221) in pre-WW2 colorsMike at Green Creek Studios
Simpson 88kCirca 1918-1926. The MacLeish (DD-220) and Simpson (DD-221) in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as whale boats pass between the ships.Jon Burdett
Simpson 123kUSS Simpson (DD-221) anchored off San Diego, California during the early 1920s. Photographed by the Pier Studio, San Diego. Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Photo #: NH 69448.Robert Hurst
Simpson 64kPhoto #: NH 105167. Six destroyers nested together during the early 1920s. These ships are (from left to right): USS Edsall (DD-219); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS Bulmer (DD-222); USS Parrott (DD-218); USS Simpson (DD-221); and USS MacLeish (DD-220). The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Michael Mohl
Simpson 73kPhoto #: NH 88356, ships of the 39th Destroyer Division moored together, probably in San Diego Harbor, California, in 1921. These ships are (from left to right): USS Edsall (DD-219); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS Bulmer (DD-222); USS Simpson (DD-221); USS MacLeish (DD-220); and USS Parrott (DD-218). Courtesy of L.C. Lupin, 1978. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Tony Cowart
Simpson 184kUSS Simpson (DD 221) off Red Crown Zerolene tank farm in San Pablo, California in October-November 1921. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Simpson 1208kLarge newspaper clipping from The Evening World dated September 16 1922. Note McCormAck should read McCormIck in the photo caption.Mike Mohl
Simpson 136kA group of destroyers of Point Loma circa 1924, only one I can ID is USS Simpson (DD-221) which is 2nd ship in the line.Darryl Baker
Simpson 51kUSS John D. Ford (DD-228), USS Sicard (DD-346), USS Pruitt (DD-347), USS Decatur (DD-341), USS Preble (DD-345), USS Pope (DD-225), USS Bulmer (DD-222), USS Simpson (DD-221) and USS McCormick (DD-223) in Manila Harbor, November 16 1928.Carl Ross
Simpson 360kNewspaper clipping of the Simpson off Nanking dated February 2 1932.Ron Reeves
Simpson 301kBalboa Harbor, Panama Canal Zone. Aerial photograph taken 23 April 1934, with U.S. Fleet cruisers and destroyers moored together. Ships present include (left to right in lower left): USS Elliot (DD-146); USS Roper (DD-147); USS Hale (DD-133); USS Dorsey (DD-117); USS Lea (DD-118); USS Rathburne (DD-113); USS Talbot (DD-114); USS Waters (DD-115); USS Dent (DD-116); USS Aaron Ward (DD-132); USS Buchanan (DD-131); USS Crowninshield (DD-134); USS Preble (DD-345); and USS William B. Preston (DD-344). (left to right in center): USS Yarnall (DD-143); USS Sands (DD-243); USS Lawrence (DD-250); (unidentified destroyer); USS Detroit (CL-8), Flagship, Destroyers Battle Force; USS Fox (DD-234); USS Greer (DD-145); USS Barney (DD-149); USS Tarbell (DD-142); and USS Chicago (CA-29), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force. (left to right across the top): USS Southard (DD-207); USS Chandler (DD-206); USS Farenholt (DD-332); USS Perry (DD-340); USS Wasmuth (DD-338); USS Trever (DD-339); USS Melville (AD-2); USS Truxtun (DD-229); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS MacLeish (DD-220); USS Simpson (DD-221); USS Hovey (DD-208); USS Long (DD-209); USS Litchfield (DD-336); USS Tracy (DD-214); USS Dahlgren (DD-187); USS Medusa (AR-1); USS Raleigh (CL-7), Flagship, Destroyers Scouting Force; USS Pruitt (DD-347); and USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156); USS Dallas (DD-199); (four unidentified destroyers); and USS Indianapolis (CA-35), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Fabio Peņa
Simpson 65kOff San Diego's Point Loma about 1938.Charles W. White
Simpson 212kAugust 26 1943 taken by Naval Air Station New York. From the Archives of Chris Wright. NARA 80-G-76208.Ed Zajkowski
Simpson 274kAs above. NARA 80-G-76213.Ed Zajkowski

USS SIMPSON DD-221 / AG-97 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

LCDR Fred Thomas Berry    Nov 3 1920 - Jul 25 1921
LCDR Harrison Edward Knauss    Jul 25 1921 - Feb 19 1923
LCDR Harry Asher Badt    Feb 19 1923 - Dec 10 1924
LCDR Allen Herschel Guthrie    Dec 10 1924 - Jun 27 1925
CDR Clarence Nelson Hinkamp    Jun 27 1925 - Jun 20 1926
LCDR Rivers Johnson Carstarphen     Jun 20 1926 - Oct 20 1927
LCDR Walter Arthur Riedel    Oct 20 1927 - Jul 1 1928
LCDR Jefferson Davis Smith    Jul 1 1928 - Jan 10 1929 
LT Jesse Benjamin Goode    Jan 10 1929 - Jun 6 1929(XOIC)
LCDR Clarkson Joel Bright    Jun 6 1929 - Jul 19 1930
LCDR Otto Marquard Forster    Jul 19 1930 - Jan 9 1932
LCDR Paul White Rutledge    Jan 9 1932 - Jul 13 1932
LT Wilbur Glen Jones    Jul 13 1932 - Aug 10 1932 (XOIC)
LCDR Gordon Bentley Woolley    Aug 10 1932 - Jul 12 1933
LCDR Humbert William Ziroli    Jul 12 1933 - Sep 10 1934 (Later RADM)
CDR William Henry Purnell Blandy    Sep 10 1934 - Jun 29 1936 (Later ADM)
LCDR Milton Orem Carlson    Jun 29 1936 - Jun 10 1937 
LCDR Richard Harold Cruzen    Jun 10 1937 - Jun 12 1939
LCDR Hubert Winthrop Chanler    Jun 12 1939 - Aug 9 1940 (Later RADM)
LCDR Daniel Newman Cone Jr.    Aug 9 1940 - Jun 20 1941
LT Alexander McIntyre    Jun 20 1941 - Sep 19 1941
LCDR Francis Douglas McCorkle    Sep 19 1941 - Dec 7 1941 (Later RADM)
LCDR Edward Joseph Burke    Dec 7 1941 - Jan 8 1943
LCDR Robert Schley Fahle    Jan 8 1943 - Aug 16 1943
LCDR Leigh Winfield Sedgwick    Aug 16 1943 - Mar 1 1945
LCDR Donald James Donahue    Mar 1 1945 - Mar 29 1946

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Walter Zehrfuhs
Address: 2-D Qunicy Drive, Whiting, NJ 08759-2027
Phone: (732)350-0536
E-mail: None


Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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